Hog-feeder



W. E. COTTREL.

HOG FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-16.1919.

1,358,525, Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

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UNITED STATESY PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. COTTREL, OF PEIVIIBERTON, OHIO.

HUG-FEEDER.

Application led December 16, 1919. Serial No.

10 all whom t may concer/1i Be it known that l, `WILLIAM E. Co'irnnn,

A a citizen of the United States, residing at ing food, and the primary object of the invention is to provide agitators operable by the animal whereby the feed is maintained in a live condition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above nature including animal controlled feeding doorsV which will automatically close when the animal has obtained suflicient food and consequently will maintain the troughs of the feeder in a highly sanitary condition.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device including nieans whereby the animal desiring food from the feeder is rst compelled to agitate the feed before obtaining the saine.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device including a housing for containing feed, the construction of the housing being such as to provide feeding troughs which are sheltered from inclement weather. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is strong, durable, coniparatively inexpensive to manufacture for the results obtained therefrom and which is highly eiicient in practice.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings forming a part of the description, and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views Figure l is a side elevation of the invention, A

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred en1bodimentof the invention, the numeral designates the feeder housing in its entirety, which consists of ends 5, a bottom 6, in-

wardly inclined. si des T meeting the bottonir 6 and a roof 8 which extends a substantial Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 9, 1920.

' distance beyond the sides and ends of the trough for a purpose which will be hereinafter set forth.

The bottom 6 is inclined downwardly and outwardly of the sides of the feeder from the longitudinal center thereof, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. These inclined portions 9 ofthe bottom, upon which rest the sides 7, extend a substantial distance outwardly and beyond the sides 7 from where they incline upwardly and outwardly of the feeder as at lOto` provide a pair of longitudinally extending 'troughs The bottom 6 is supported by spaced blocks ll being interposed between the portions `l0 of the bottom of the base l2. Runners 13 are secured to the base l2 and extend longitudinally thereof whereby the feeder may bevmoved to any desired location.

Each side 7 of the feeder is equipped with a plurality of spaced openings 14 which extend down to the portions 9 of the bottom 6. These openings are normally maintained closed through the medium of vertically movable animal controlled doors l5, which are slidably mounted in guides 16, a pair being provided for each door to engage the longitudinal edges of each door. In order that an animal may actuate the doors to obtain feed from thel interior of the housing, a nose block 17 is secured to the outer face of each door, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. Each door has associated therewith an inwardly extending spring 18, which is coiled intermediate its ends to provide a pair of outwardly diverging spring arms, the lowermost being secured to the door through the medium of an'eye bolt or any other suitable means ywhilethe upper arm is secured by its free end in a like manner to the side of the housing, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. rFliese springs extend inwardly of the housing into the feed contained therein and when the feed doors l5 are raised the springs travel upwardly through the feed to agitato the same. After the animal is through feeding, the doors l5 will close under the tension of the springs and absolutely cutoff the iiow of feed into the trough. l

As the various feeds vary in size, and it being necessary to restrict the movement of the doors l5 at times, a longitudinall extending beam `19 is secured to each side 7 of the feeder, a substantial distance above the doors l5, A plurality of screws, bolts downwardly I Y intervals therealong.

2O or the like are threadedly associated with the beam 19 to abut with the upper edges of the doors when the bolts 20 are so positioned.

, The means for agitating the feed within the housing, consists of a shaftr21 which extends longitudinally through the housing and has its extremities extended beyond the ends ofl the housing, a plurality of radiating blades 22 being secured to the shaftat A ratchet wheel 23 is secured to one extended end of the shaft 21 to coperate with a pairof pawls 24 and 25 which will be presently described in detail. To actuate the pawls and impart rotary movement to the shaft 21, a longitudinally extending bar 26 is arrangedupon each side -of the feeder m spaced relation thereto and slightly above the outer edge of its respective trough.V Levers 27 are'secured to the Y ends of the bars 26and arevjo'urnaled adjacent their upper ends upon the shaft 21. One of these levers 27 isV equipped with the pawl whereby thisV pawl engages with one side of the ratchet wheel 23. The end of the outer lever 27 which is journaled to the shaft 21 extendsaV substantial distance beyond Vthe lratchet-, Wheel and is pivotallyV connected as at 28 to a link 29 which ex-Y tends upwardly toward the center of the housing.

as at 30; to an arm 31 pivotally connected to the housing as at 32 whereby the arm 31 horizontal plane is normally disposed in approximately a above the ratchet wheel Y whereby the pawl 24crcarried by the arm 31 normally engages the relative topV of theVv ratchet wheel.` lt is to be notedthat the bars'26 are disposed in front of the nose blocks 17 whereby the animalfdesiring food is compelled to first raise theV bar 26 before Y ject its head into Vto he can gain access nose block 17. n

Each feeder is particuarly adapted as a feederifor-hogsvor the like, as it is necessary Yto .the trough or to the for the.l animal desiring foodto rootf7 inl hog fashion to operate the agitator and the 15 which control theV discharge of feed mal desirous of obtaining feed, approaches the housing from either side,'and due to the arrangement of theV bars 26, must lift or'V raise' the sameV before it is possible to proeither trough. As either bar 26 is raised, itsrrespective pawl will engage the ratchet wheel 23 and impart rotary movement to the shaft 21 and''agitator blades 22 thereby causing the agitator to thoroughly stir the feed within the housingI Having obtained access to either trough, the

. animal must engage the nose block 17 of one door'with his nose and root at the sameitimevto raise the doors 15 which will 'permit feed from the housing to slide down the inclined portions 9 and thence, into the This Vlinlris pivotally connected Vcure Letters Patent, is:

trough. Each door 15 carries` an agitator spring 18y consequently when an animal roots at he door, the spring will be causedto pass through the feedto loosen or agitate the same whereby the feed within thehousing is maintained in 'a live condition. rif-ter the animal has obtained sufiicient food and'stops rooting at the doors 15, they will automatically close, after which he withdraws his head from the trough and under the bar 26 to permit the same to assume its normal position. Consequently it will be seen y to root .orvopera'te the feeding mechanism, will not be able to obtain food therefrom and accordingly poultry or the like will be be considered to be the approved'or pre-V that animals not knowingl how ferred form of my invention. I desire itto A Y be understood that l may make such changes in the construction, combination and ar rangement of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as mayprove expedient and'fall within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus, fully described my inven#V tion what l claim'as lnew and desire to se- 1., A feeder comprising a housing, an animal controlled sliding feed vdoor carried thereby, andV spring meansrconnected to said door for agitatingthe feed in said housing and automatically closingsaid door.

2. A feeder comprising a housing, an animal controlled sliding feed door, an c in-y wardly extending spring for said door hav` ing its intermediate portion coiled, one arm of the spring being connected to said door, and the other arm being connected with the housing, whereby said spring agitates the. feed within the housing and `automatically closes said door.k 1

3. A feeder Vcomprising a housing,-` afeedV trough, an animal controlled feeddoor, an animal controlled agitatorwithin said housing, and means for operating the agitator Vprior to the operation ofthe feed door, in-f cluding a bar arranged abovethe trough and in front of said animalcontrolled'feed door. f

e. A feeder comprising a housing, a trough i carried thereby, a shaft extending through said housing, agitator'blades on said shaft, a ratchet wheel on saidshaft, levers journaled on said lever and arrangedin front ofosaid trough,

shaft, a barV secured to veach and a pawl actuated by each lever and engageable ,with said ratchet wheel for imparting rotary ,movement to said shaft when either bar is moved. V w

5. A feeder comprising a housing, a trough, a plurality of animal controlled vertically slidable doors normally engaging the bottom of said trough, a bar secured to said housing, and a plurality of bolts threaded through said bar and engageable with the upper edges of said doors for limiting their Vertical movement.

6- A feeder comprising a housing, a rotatable animal controlled agitator in saidl housing, a member arranged above the trough and adapted to be raised by the ammal to permit access to the trough, and a lever secured to said member and associated with the agitator to impart rotary movement to the agitator when said member is raised.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. COTTREL.

Witnesses:

RUFo H. MELHORN, L. G. SHANELI. 

